AP Biology Score Calculator
How to Estimate Your AP Biology Score
The AP Biology exam can be challenging, but understanding how it's scored can help you focus your study efforts. This calculator provides an estimate of your final AP score (on the 1-5 scale) based on your performance on the two main sections of the exam. Use it to gauge your progress and identify areas for improvement.
Breaking Down the AP Biology Exam Structure
The College Board designs the AP Biology exam to be worth a total of 120 composite points, with each section contributing equally to the final score.
- Section I: Multiple-Choice (MCQ) – This section consists of 60 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. It accounts for 50% of your total exam score. Each correct answer is worth 1 point, with no deductions for incorrect answers.
- Section II: Free-Response (FRQ) – This section has 6 questions (2 long-response and 4 short-response) to be completed in 90 minutes. It also accounts for 50% of your total exam score. The total number of raw points available in this section is typically around 40.
The Calculation Formula Explained
To combine the scores from two different sections into a single composite score, the College Board applies a weighting formula. Our calculator uses a widely accepted model to estimate this score:
1. Multiple-Choice Score: The MCQ section is already scaled to 60 points (1 point per question), which is half of the 120 total composite points. So, the weighting is simple:
Weighted MCQ Score = Number of Correct Answers * 1.0
2. Free-Response Score: The FRQ section's raw score (out of ~40 points) must be scaled to also be worth 60 composite points. To do this, we use a multiplier.
Weighting Multiplier = 60 / 40 = 1.5
Weighted FRQ Score = Total FRQ Points Earned * 1.5
3. Final Composite Score: Your total estimated score is the sum of the two weighted sections.
Composite Score = (Weighted MCQ Score) + (Weighted FRQ Score)
Example Calculation
Let's say a student performs as follows:
- They answer 48 out of 60 multiple-choice questions correctly.
- They earn 30 out of 40 possible points on the free-response questions.
Here's how their score would be estimated:
- Weighted MCQ Score:
48 * 1.0 = 48 - Weighted FRQ Score:
30 * 1.5 = 45 - Composite Score:
48 + 45 = 93
A composite score of 93 would very likely earn that student an AP Score of 5.
From Composite Score to AP Score (1-5)
The final step is converting the composite score (out of 120) to the familiar 1-5 AP scale. The exact score ranges (cutoffs) can vary slightly from year to year. This calculator uses the following common estimates:
- AP Score 5: 79 – 120 composite points
- AP Score 4: 65 – 78 composite points
- AP Score 3: 51 – 64 composite points
- AP Score 2: 38 – 50 composite points
- AP Score 1: 0 – 37 composite points
Disclaimer: This calculator is an estimation tool. The formula and score ranges are based on previously released data from the College Board and may not reflect the exact scoring for the current year's exam. It should be used for study and planning purposes only.